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Marine Mammal Science article

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Subject: Marine Mammal Science article
From: Jason Gedamke <>
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 09:33:13 -0700
Volume 20, Number 3
 July 2004
 
 AQUATIC MATING STRATEGIES OF THE MALE PACIFIC HARBOR SEAL (PHOCA VITULINA 
RICHARDII): 
 ARE MALES DEFENDING THE HOTSPOT?
 
 Sean A. Hayes, Daniel P. Costa, James T. Harvey, and Burney J. Le Boeuf
 
 ABSTRACT
 Compared to the harem and resource defense systems of terrestrial mating 
pinnipeds, 
 males of aquatic mating species appear unable to monopolize females or 
resources. We 
 investigated movements, acoustics, and aquatic territorial behavior of male 
harbor 
 seals, Phoca vitulina richardii, in Elkhorn Slough, California, using VHF 
telemetry, 
 hydrophones, and acoustic playback experiments. During the mating season 22 
males 
 increased time spent in the water and away from haul-out locations, exhibiting 
 activity patterns similar to Atlantic subspecies. Two acoustic display 
patterns were 
 observed. At one location multiple males aggregated to display with acoustic 
activity 
 peaking one month before peak estrus. At two other locations, lone males 
displayed 
 primarily during peak estrus. Acoustic display areas were non-adjacent with a 
mean ± 
 SE size of 4,228 ± 576 m2, similar to harbor seal display patterns in the 
Moray Firth, 
 Scotland. Underwater playbacks of male vocalizations were used to!
   define territorial boundaries by inducing responses from territory-holding 
males. 
 Four solitary males defended adjacent territories (mean area 39,571 ± 18,818 
m2) along 
 a travel corridor, similar to observations of harbor seals at Miquelon, 
Newfoundland. 
 Acoustic display stations appeared to be subcomponents of larger territories. 
Males 
 exhibited site fidelity to territories for at least 2-4 yr. Females moved 
through 
 territories freely. The establishment of male-display territories along 
female-traffic 
 corridors resembles terrestrial systems described as hotspot leks.
 
 Keywords: aquatic mating system, breeding behavior, hotspot lek, harbor seal, 
Phoca 
 vitulina, pinniped.
 © Copyright by The Society for Marine Mammalogy 2004
 

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